You’d be forgiven for thinking that the incense trend was short-lived—forgotten after the three wise men famously gifted it.
Far from it.
The trade in frankincense thrived in parts of the Middle East and Africa for centuries until around AD 700 – and is now commonly burned in households in Oman, a country that remains one of the main producers of the substance.
The aromatic resin is also used in the local hotels of Shangri-La, which even employ an “incense sommelier” – Khalid Al Amri. Who is not a gimmick.
Khalid Al Amri is “Incense Sommelier” for the hotels of Shangri-La in Oman. He is pictured here in the lobby of Shangri-La Al Husn, Muscat
He studied frankincense under the guidance of Canadian scholars Dr. Patricia Groves – who has spent over 20 years researching and writing books on Oman’s heritage, arts and culture – and with Muscat’s National Museum of Oman and Bait Al Zubair Museum, a program which also earned him the title of Ambassador for Culture and Cultural Heritage for Shangri-La in Oman.
So what does his role entail?
Khalid, who works in both of Shangri-La’s Omani resorts, Al Husn and Barr Al Jissah, said: “All my life I’ve been looking for my calling and I finally found it.
“My job is to create moments of joy for our guests by sharing stories and my knowledge about incense.
Khalid is pictured above in the Incense Garden at Shangri-La Al Husn Resort
HOW SHANGRI-LA USES INCENSE IN DISHES AND COCKTAILS
COCKTAILS: The mixologist will burn the incense over charcoal behind the bar and then capture the smoke in a closh and serve the cocktail to the guest in a closh (the smoke is in the closh).
CHICKEN DISH: Shangri-La in Oman serves a dish called Sultanah’s Frankincense with grilled free-range chicken, broccoli, sweet potatoes and a date chutney. The chicken is cooked over incense smoke on a charcoal grill at the table.
“It also brings me a lot of joy as I am passionate about what I do.
“I am responsible for overseeing the traditional Omani greeting at our resorts and also leading guided tours of incense and the incredible architecture of our resorts in Oman.
“As part of this unique guest experience, Shangri-La Al Husn has its own private frankincense garden with 21 frankincense trees planted back in 2019.
“The garden is a place where our guests can touch, smell and see incense in its natural form during their stay with us.
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“Our restaurants and bars also offer incense-infused cocktails and dishes, like our Phoenix from the Flames cocktail, which is made with limoncello, pastis, bourbon, incense and orange.”
Khalid reveals he advises restaurants and bars on how to use incense in food and beverages – and which type/grade is best.
The hotel plans to eventually use the incense it grows in its spas, restaurants, and bars, but the trees aren’t quite ready yet — “like a vineyard, they take time to mature.”
Khalid also advises guests on the best types of incense to buy in the markets in the capital, Muscat – incense hunting is a popular activity with locals and visitors alike.
Frankincense, Khalid explained, is an aromatic resin derived from two main tree species – the Boswellia sacra and the Boswellia papyrifera – with Oman being “home of the best frankincense in the world”.
Shangri-La operates several luxury hotels in Oman clustered along the coast near Muscat (above)
Shangri-La’s Oman hotels (above) blow incense in lobbies and offer dishes and cocktails infused with the aromatic resin
Khalid continued, “Frankincense is an integral part of Omani heritage. In ancient times, frankincense was more valuable than gold, and southern Oman happened to be rich in frankincense.
“Today it is commonly burned at sunrise and sunset and is an important part of the welcoming experience in an Omani household.
“When welcoming a guest to your home in Oman, first burn incense to create a wonderful fragrance, and then we offer Arabic coffee and Arabic dates to our guests.
“Growing up, my mother would burn half a kilogram of incense every day to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere in our home. And when I wasn’t feeling well, my mother would boil Al-Hojari incense in warm water, which is a high-quality incense that can be ingested for medicinal purposes.
“Frankincense is also used as a room fragrance to diffuse kitchen odors and ward off negative energies.
“It is also known for its healing and restorative properties, as well as being a perfume and an aphrodisiac. The aromatic resin is also used in ceremonial and solemn occasions such as prayer and weddings, and to ensure good health of mother and child during childbirth.’
At Shangri-La’s Oman hotels, it doesn’t take long for guests to become acquainted with the allure of incense.
Khalid said, “When you visit Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah or Shangri-La Al Husn, we have created an authentic Omani welcome experience for our guests. As soon as you enter one of our two resorts, which sit side by side on Oman’s beautiful coastline, you will smell the sacred scent of incense that we waft and diffuse through the grand lobbies. You will also be greeted by me or one of my colleagues and offer Arabic coffee and dates.’
HOW IS INCENSE HARVESTED?
Khalid explained: “There is a special technique used to harvest the incense from frankincense trees with a knife called manqaf. The manqaf is used to make a cut in the tree trunk and the sap slowly seeps out of the cut, dripping out in teardrop-shaped drops. The aromatic resin then hardens and is cut from the tree bark.”